Myths are ancient tales from ancient lands, yet they still have something to say to the modern person and the modern world today. Ancient myths from Greece, Rome, Egypt, and Norse myths have profoundly influenced Western Civilization, and still are referenced in movies, music, and literature today. Ancient myths from the East, from India, China, and Japan, also have relevance to today's modern reader.
The Difficulties in Reading Myths
The biggest hurdle to overcome in reading ancient mythology is the mindset that these tales are outdated and worthless to the modern mind. Nothing can be further from the truth. However, in today's society old often equals bad or without value. This notion must be done away with, at least as concerns mythologies.
A second difficulty in reading myths is finding a good translation. Theses stories are meant to inspire and entertain. The wrong translation may turn a reader off of myths. Many translations exist, from very simplified forms to retellings in formal language. A quick reading through of several sources can lead a reader to one that engages their particular imagination.
A third trouble in reading myths is an introduction at a late age. Myths are like fairy tales, for young and old alike. Children should be exposed to ancient myths, in an age-appropriate translation, as young as they are interested. The personal meaning of the stories can change during a lifetime. The child who admired and played Hercules and six can find new inspiration as a teenager and yet again a new appreciation for the tale as an adult.
What Myths Offer Readers
Reading myths today rewards the reader in a variety of ways. First, the stories open a window into the ancient culture from which they originate. David Day says in his book A Tolkien Bestiary that myths “reveal a truer and fuller vision of the human mind and soul than all the historical, psychological and anthropological studies ever devised”. In other words, mythologies communicate a great deal of that society's ideas of good and evil, what skills, gifts, and characteristics were valued, how that culture explained natural phenomena and handled metaphysical questions, and the ideal of how a person should live.
A second perk of reading ancient myths is to put the reader in touch with ideas that inspired the building of society. This is a historical value. Ancient Greek and Roman myths were a major part of those societies, and those societies are the building blocks of Western Civilization. The idea of government, a good citizen, the rights of a human being, the role of fate and the gods in life – these ideas today grew in part due to the ancient civilizations. Mythologies played a large part in the ancient world, and thus are important to the understanding of society today.
Lastly, references to ancient myths abound even today. Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, was known among other things for her fast running. Today the shoe company Nike borrows on this myth in their very name, with an image of their shoes providing the wearer swift running and jumping. The football team, the Tennessee Titans borrow their name directly from the ancient myth of the Titans, the giant elder relatives of the Olympian gods and goddesses. The references to ancient myths and ideas abound in literature, from Harry Potter to the villainous family of Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series. Being familiar with ancient myths puts the reader in touch with the meaning behind these references, giving a deeper understanding of any work where myths are referenced.
Modern Application
Mythologies are ancient stories with modern meaning. Reading myths opens the reader to deeper understanding of ancient cultures and to deeper meaning in the modern world. Ancient myths are worthwhile reading with windows into the past yet are still relevant today.
Christine Alcott - Christine is an active homeschooling mother of 4 boys in Texas. She holds a BS in Mental Health and Human Services and a MTS in Theology ...
